Machine for shaping shoe uppers over lasts



J. E. M GORDER MACHINE FOR SHAPING SHOE UPPERS OVER LASTS Dec. 8, 1959 Filed July 8; 1957 Il I I .5 Z a Z .M Z My M M United States Patent MACHINE FOR SHAPING SHOE UPPERS OVER LASTS John E. McGorder, Tipton, Mo., assignor to Weber Shoe Company, Inc., Tipton, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application July 8, 1957, Serial No. 670,532

11 Claims. (Cl. 1253.1)

This invention relates to machines for shaping the upper portions of shoes, and more particularly to a machine which shapes the uppers by ironing them against lasts so that the uppers retain the shape of the lasts.

Machines for shaping shoe uppers over lasts have been devised heretofore. The known machines, however, have been complicated to build and operate, have been designed to handle one shoe or one pair of shoes at a time, have been slow, and have required skilled operators and maintenance personnel. These and other dis advantages of the known machines are overcome by machines constructed according to the teachings of the present invention.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a machine for forming shoe uppers that is relatively inexpensive to construct.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which will form a plurality of shoe uppers or a plurality of pairs of shoe uppers simultaneously.

Another object is to provide a machine for forming shoe uppers which is simple enough to be operated, adjusted and maintained by relatively unskilled personnel.

Another object is to provide a machine for forming shoe uppers. on lasts which is adjustable over a wide range of pressure and temperature depending on the characteristics and dimensions of the material in the uppers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type described which simultaneously forms a plurality of shoe uppers to lasts and yet permits the operator to feed the machine one or more uppers at a time thereby leveling the operators work load.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the cost of making shoes.

Another object is to provide a machine for forming shoe uppers that eliminates time lost feeding and removing the uppers therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to increase the quality and uniformity of shoes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine that is flexible and versatile enough to be used for forming all types of shoe uppers.

Briefly, the present machine is used to form shoe uppers to lasts and comprises a heated plate or table, a plurality of rams extending outwardly from the plate having saddle portions which extend toward the plate for engaging shoe uppers on lasts positioned therebetween, cam means including a cam shaft with a cam operatively engaged with each ram, and fluid motor means operatively connected to the cam means for moving said cams successively away from the plate in a preselected order or sequence, the rams engaging and pressing lasted shoe uppers against the heated plate when cammed into position toward the plate.

Other objects and advantages of the present device will become apparent after considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

2,915,764 Patented Dec. 8, 1959 ice In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a machine for forming shoe uppers to lasts constructed according to the teachings of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same machine as seen from the left in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view of the machine in Fig. 1 taken along the line 3-3 therein, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of the same machine taken along line 44 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numbers, the number 10 (Figs. 1 and 2) refers to a machine for forming shoe uppers. that is constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. The machine 10 is supported on two spaced vertical columns or uprights 12 and 14 which are fastened to pedestal members 16 and 18 respectively, and the pedestals 16 and 1-8 are secured to a floor structure by bolts or other means. The uprights 12 and 14 are channel shaped and their upper ends are connected by a horizontal channel member 20. I

A cam shaft 22 extends between the uprights 12 and 14 below the channel member 20, and the ends and center of the cam shaft 22 are rotatably mounted in bearing members 24 and 26. The shaft 22 carries a plurality of cam members 28 (four being shown) which turn with the shaft 22.

Spaced below the cam shaft 22 is a cross member 30 bolted to the uprights. The member 30 has a plurality of spaced vertical tubes 32 (four being shown) mounted thereon. The tubes 32 are shown of square or rectangular section and each slidably positions a plunger member or ram 34. The upper end of each plunger member 34 carries a cam roller 36 which makes contact with its associated cam member 28 thereabove, and the lower end of each slide member 34 carries a saddle member 38 which is preferably shaped to conform to the contour of the lasted shoe upper. During operation of the machine 10, the saddle members 38 press down on the lasted uppers, and therefore, it is usually desirable to cover the members 38 with leather or some other material which will not cause damage to the uppers.

Studs 40 extend sidewardly near the lower ends of the plunger members 34 and springs 42 are attached and extend upwardly from the studs 40 being fastened at their upper ends to studs 44 on the cross member 30. The springs 42 bias the plunger members 34 upwardly into constant engagement with the cams 28.

In the device 10, asshown, there are four cam positions, and each cam 28 is formed to have three-quarters of its camming surface of constant radius to move the associated plunger members 34 into downwardly extending positions where they dwell while forming lasted uppers. Also each cam 28 has a low spot which permits its plunger member 34 to rise so that the formed upper can be removed and replaced by another lasted upper. The cams 28 are timed when they are mounted on the cam shaft 22 so that in each successive angularly turned -or partially rotated position of the shaft 22 (there being four positions degrees apart in the machine 10), one of the cams 28 has its lowspot engaged by its plunger member 34 and that plunger is the only plunger member in the upwardly extended position.

A ratchet gear 46 is mounted on the left end of the cam shaft 22 outside of the upright 12 (Fig. l). The ratchet gear 46 has four teeth 48 spaced 90 degrees apart and is successively rotated one tooth at a time'by an air or fluid pressure motor 50 (Figs. 1 and 2). The motor 50 is pivotally mounted at its lower end to the upright member 12 and has a piston and rod assembly 52 extending out from its upper end which is pivotally connected to -a cam shaft 22 and has a spring biased pawl (not shown) that engages the teeth .-8 of the ratchet gear 46 and rotates the cam shaft 22 through 90 degrees for each operation. The pawl spring (not shown) permits the pawl to slide over the next tooth 48 on the ratchet gear 45 on the return or restore portion of the stroke. A spring 56 is connected between a stud 58 near the upper end of the piston rod assembly 52 and the upright 12 to help restore the rod assembly 52 to the down position. Also a spring biased latch pawl 59 is pivotally mounted adjacent to the ratchet gear 46 and engages the teeth 48 on the restore stroke to prevent the gear 46 from rotating backwards.

An air or fluid conduit 6i) is connected to the motor 59 and supplies pressure to the lower end thereof below the piston and rod assembly 52. The application of air or fluid pressure moves the assembly 52 upwardly on the power stroke to advance the cam shaft 22. The opposite end of the conduit 6i) is connected to a control valve 62 which is provided with timing mechanism that controls the minimum period between successive strokes.

The timing mechanism, which is part of the control valve 62, is of a conventional construction and is provided to deliver a predetermined flow of air for a given length of time after the valve is actuated. When the control valve 62 is actuated (by pilot plunger 1%) air pressure is fed at a predetermined rate of flow to operate the cylinder and in so doing the piston and rod assembly 52 are moved upwardly at a speed corresponding with said rate of flow. After a given time has elapsed, depending on how long it takes the rate of flow to move the piston and rod assembly as determined by the timing mec..anism, the valve exhausts the motor it) allow ing the piston and rod assembly 52 to move downwardly to its restored position. Therefore, the initial actuation of the valve 62 is manual but the minimum time for each cycle of operation is determined by the timing mechanism. This means that the operator can take as long as he wants to place an upper in position for ironing but once he operates the pilot plunger 1434 a fixed minimum amount of time is consumed for the operating cycle. Since various timer valves of the general type described and shown in the drawing are available comcercially, and since no claim is laid to a valve per se or the timing mechanism, it is not deemed necessary to do more than describe the operational characteristics thereof for purposes of this specification.

A table 64 is mounted in spaced relation below the saddle members 38 between the uprights l2 and 14. The table 64 is made of metal or some other material which can be heated without losing its shape, and a burner or heating element 66 is mounted under the table 64 for heating the table 64 to a desired temperature. A gas burner is shown in the drawing for the heating element 66 and a suitable gas connector 68 is attached thereto. A gas conduit "in is connected to the connector 68 and supplies fuel to the burner 66.

The materials used to make shoe uppers vary in thickness, shape, ability to retain a shape, and in many other characteristics, and therefore, it is desirable that the present machine be adjustable over a wide range of temperatures and pressures to handle a great variety of ditterent types of uppers. This, in part, is accomplished by making the table 64 adjustable vertically. T o accomplish vertical adjustment of the table, the ends of the table are provided with spaced flanges '72 which form guides with the ends of the table and enable the table 64 to be moved up and down on the uprights 12 and 14. A crank handle '74 is mounted on the upright 14 and it turrns a worm gear 76 which meshes with another gear '78 on a shaft 80. The shaft 30 is rotatably mounted below the table 64 and carries a cam 82 at each end (Figs. 1 and 3). The earns 82 engage the table 64 from below and raise or lower the table 64 depending on the direction of rotation of the crank handle 74.

A gauge 84 is mounted above the crank handle 74 on upright 14 and has a pointer 86 which is pivotally mounted adjacent thereto. The pointer 36 is operatively connected to the table or by a crank arm 38 and a rod )0. The pointer 86 indicates the height of the table 64 on the gauge 84 which is also an indication of the amount of pressure exerted on the table 64 by the plungers 3 It is also anticipated to provide means for lubricating the cams 2? Such means might include oil wicks (not shown) mounted on the cross member 2i) to drag on the cams 28.

Fi 3 shows a top plan View of the table 64 including the crank handle 74. The construction of the table 64 that is shown has separate plates 92 positioned below each plunger member 34. It is anticipated, however, that a single larger plate could be used instead of the four plates 92 or even to construct the entire table in one piece.

Fig. 4 shows a shoe upper 94 mounted on a last 96 and positioned in the machine it) between one of the saddle members 38 and the associated table plate 92. The cam 28 is shown in an intermediate position applying downward pressure on the upper 94 against the plate 92. The plate 92 being heated by the gas burner 66, acts as an iron and permanently forms the bottom, turned in portion of the upper 94- to the last 96.

Another cross member 98 is connected between the uprights l2 and 14 below the table 64. The control valve and timer 62 for the conduit 60 which supplies pressure to the motor 50 has a bypass conduit 11% connected thereto, and a portion of the conduit MM) extends along the cross member 98 and is provided with an exhaust valve M2. The valve 1452 is operated by a forwardly extending plunger 1'94 that is actuated by rearward movement of a trip board 1%. The trip board is hingedly mounted on the cross member 98 adjacent to the plunger 1%. When the operator presses against the trip board 1% he energizes the valve M2 and initiates a cycle of operation which consists of feeding air pressure to the motor 50 for a predetermined time interval and thereafter relieving the air pressure to the motor to enable the spring 56 to restore the piston and rod assembly 52 to the down position.

A regulator valve 1458 for the gas burner 66 is provided in the gas conduit 7% and it has a control lever Hill for controlling the flow of gas.

Operation Operation of the machine Flt? is accomplished (Fig. 4) by placing the upper portion 94- of a shoe on a last 96, placing the combination thereof under the raised saddle member 38 (one being raised in each position of the shaft 22), and actuating the trip board 106 with the foot. When the trip board is actuated, the piston and rod assembly 52 is moved upwardly for a predetermined time interval (as determined by the setting of the timing mechanism) and thereafter is restored to the down position. During each cycle of operation the assembly 52 moves upwardly and rotates the cam shaft 22 through degrees. In so doing the raised saddle member 38 under which the upper 94 and last have been placed is lowered and presses the lasted upper down on the heated plate 92. At the same time another saddle member 38 is raised by its cam 23. If a lasted upper has been under this member 38, it is now removed and replaced by another lasted upper and the process repeated.

The timing device associated With the control valve 62 for the motor 5% is provided to assure that each cycle takes a minimum amount of time and to prevent the motor Stl from depending on the speed of the operator for its duration of operation. On the contrary, the timing device assures that every cycle is of a minimum time duration, thereby assuring that each upper will undergo at least a minimum amount of ironing. The timing device is of course adjustable so that the timing can be changed for difierent kinds of uppers. The timing may be changed by adjusting the flow passage through the valve 62 by ascrew driver adjustment (not shown), or an electric timer '(not shown) could be used. Once a cycle is completed, however, the succeeding cycle is initiated at the pleasure of the operator.

The process described is repeated continuously during each run of uppers and each upper is treated the same. While the machine is operating both of the operators hands are free to hold and position the uppers on the lasts. This enables the operator to do a better job of preparing the lasted uppers for the machine and increases the efficiency and output of the operator because the operators work load is more evenly distributed and he is not hampered by peak load periods and by periods of idleness.

Thus it is apparent that there has been provided a machine for forming the upper portions of shoes which fulfills all of the objects and advantages sought therefor. It is understood, however, that the foregoing description and accompanying drawing have been presented only by way of illustration and example and that changes, alterations and modifications in the present disclosure, which will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What I claim is:

1. A machine for forming shoe uppers to lasts comprising a table, means for heating the table, a plunger member positioned adjacent to the table, and cam means including fluid motor means operatively connected thereto associated with the plunger member for moving said member toward and away from the table, said plunger member engaging and pressing a lasted shoe upper against the heated table during movement thereof toward the table and thereafter holding the lasted upper under pressure from the cam means against the table until the upper has been ironed and retains the shape of the last.

2. A machine for forming shoe uppers to lasts comprising a table, means for heating the table, a plurality of plunger members mounted adjacent to the table, and cam means including fluid motor means operatively connected thereto associated with the plunger members for moving said members toward and away from the table, said fluid motor means including actuator means for initiating an operation of said cam means and timer means for determining the time duration required to move the cam means to successive positions in which all but one of said plunger members are moved toward the table and into engagement with lasted shoe uppers holding the lasted shoe uppers against the heated table, said one upwardly extended plunger member being spaced from the table enabling a lasted upper to be placed therebetween.

3. A machine for forming lasted shoe uppers comprising a table, means for heating the table, a plurality of plunger members positioned adjacent to the table, cam means operatively engaged with each of the plunger members, and fluid motor means including actuator means and timed control means therefor operatively connected to the cam means for moving the cam means to successive positions in which one of said plunger members at a time moves downwardly toward the table engaging a lasted upper on the way and pressing said lasted upper against the heated table, movement of said actu ator means initiating an operation of said fluid motor means and said timed control means determining the time duration of each of said operations, said cam means having a high dwell which holds the plunger member in the down position long enough for the heated table to give the shape of the last to the upper by ironing whereupon said cam means is operated by the motor means to relieve said downward plunger and to move another of said plurality of plungers to its downward position against another lasted upper.

4. A machine for forming 'shoe uppers to lasts comprising a table, means for heating the table, a plurality of plunger members mounted above the table and disposed to move vertically relative thereto, cam means positioned above the plunger members and operatively engaged therewith, and fluid motor means operatively engaged with said cam means for moving said cam means between a plurality of positions in which a different one of said plunger members is in an upward position relative to the table and in which the remaining plunger members are in a downward position relative to the table, said plunger members including saddle portions located at the lower ends thereof, which saddle portions engage lasted shoe uppers in their downward positions and press the uppers against the heated table and against the last to form the uppers to the shape of the lasts.

5. A machine for forming shoe uppers to lasts comprising a table, means for heating the table, a plunger member positioned adjacent to the table, cam means including fluid motor means therefor operatively connected to the plunger member for moving said member toward and away from the table, said plunger member engaging and pressing a lasted shoe upper against the heated table during movement thereof toward the table and thereafter holding the lasted upper under pressure against the table until the upper has been ironed and retains the shape of the last, and means for changing the position of the table relative to the plunger member for adjusting the pressure of the plunger member in the down position on the lasted upper, said adjusting means including a gauge which indicates the position of the table.

'6. The machine defined in claim 5 wherein a plurality of said plunger members are provided and wherein said cam means includes means associated with each of said plunger members whereby all but one of said members are moved to a position adjacent to the table for each position thereof.

7. A machine for shaping shoe uppers to lasts comprising a table, means for heating the table, a plurality of plunger members mounted adjacent to the table and movable toward and away from the table, a cam shaft with a cam thereon engaged with each of said plurality of plunger members, and motor means operatively connected to said cam shaft for rotating said shaft between successive positions in which a majority of the cams thereon move their associated plunger members to positions toward the table and a minority thereof move their associated plunger members to positions away from the table, said plunger members engaging and pressing lasted shoe uppers against the heated table when moved to positions toward the table.

8. The machine for shaping shoe uppers to lasts defined in claim 7 wherein adjustable means are provided for changing the position of the table relative to the plunger members.

9. A machine for shaping shoe uppers to lasts comprising a table, means for heating the table, a plurality of plunger members mounted adjacent to the table and movable toward and away from the table, a cam shaft with a cam thereon operatively engaged with each of said plurality of plunger members, and motor means operatively connected to said cam shaft for angularly displacing said shaft and said cams between successive positions in each of which a majority of the plunger members are in their closest positions to the table and in each of which a minority of the plunger members are in their positions furthest away from the table, said motor means including a timing device for regulating the rate of movement of the cam shaft, and said cams being forms to maintain their respective plunger members in the position moved closest to the table for one or more successive angular movements of the cam shaft.

10. A machine for shaping shoe uppers to lasts comprising a table, means for heating the table, a plurality of plunger members mounted adjacent to the table and movable toward and away from the table, a cam shaft with a cam thereon engaged with each of said plurality of plunger members, and fluid motor means including a ratchet device connected to the cam shaft successively angularly displacing said shaft between successive positions in each of which a majority of the cams thereon move their associated plunger members to positions toward the table whereby the plunger members so moved engage and press lasted uppers positioned in the paths thereof against the heated table, a minority of said cams allowing their associated plunger members to simultaneously move to positions spaced from the table to permit No references cited. 

